server said old ale but this was clearly a stout. at arundel mills 6/13/10.
pours darker than alchemy with a lasting beige film.
very roasty aroma with notes of coffee, nearly burned sugar and some bitter cocoa.
the flavor is a richer version of the aroma with added hints of chocolate and dark pit fruit.
the medium body is soft and smooth. easy enough to put away that i ordered one after the sampler. 6/4/6/4/15/3.5

On tap at Duclaw Bowie. Pours dark brown with small tan head. Aromas of roasted malts, chocolate, and some caramel. Flavors of roasted malts and chocolate with some caramel undertones. Finishes dry and roasty. Pretty solid and drinkable stout.

Very roasty malts with some coffee and light herbal tones. Smooth, medium mouthfeel. Light caramel malts with just a touch of smoke. I thought this was a solid stout, actually, and could have downed a few of them.

Draft at Bowie location on 03/26/10. Arrived at the table a dark, dark mahogany with a skim of a tan head. Strong aroma of dutch cocoa, roasted coffee, burnt malts, toffee, and a hint of vanilla. Goes down with a medium body. The taste starts off sweet with some toffee, cocoa, and a touch of vanilla. Bittering burnt malts, an earthiness, and roasted coffee flavors at the end. A very dry finish that lingers. Not bad, just not very memorable.

20100324 Tap at Bel Air spot. Dark cola brown with small, quick tan head of loose foam. Aroma of mild coffee, slight vanilla, slight woodsy litter. Fair eff good match for lighter body, tending to too light but okay I guess for dry/irish style. Flavor is mostly roasty with nice coffee and earthy bitterness lingering. Overall a pleasant though pretty generic dry stout to have been surrounded by such a hubub. Twas the season, I suppose.

On Nitro at Bel Air. I was a little worried this would be a watery-bland Guiness clone, but I was pleasantly surprised. The body is a bit watery, but smooth and very very easy to drink. The flavor is quite impressive for its subtlety. Great roasted/nutty profile, flavor really shines and is clean, lasts throughout. Roasted coffee, but again, very clean and well put together. Flavors weren’t muddled or watery, they stood out. Drinkable and delicious for the style. May be the best irish style stout I’ve had yet.

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